April 01--The Rockford band Cheap Trick celebrated Cheap Trick Day on Friday by dropping a new album and visiting Reckless Records before an 8 p.m. scheduled show at Metro.
Dozens of Cheap Trick fans waited in line outside the Wicker Park record store to meet the band, which released its studio album "Bang, Zoom, Crazy... Hello."
April 1 has been a special day in Illinois for the band since 2007, when the state's General Assembly declared that day to be Cheap Trick Day.
Friday was the start of a big month for the band, which is slated to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame April 8 in New York. Gov. Bruce Rauner also praised the group in a letter Friday.
"Your induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this month is long overdue," Rauner wrote. "And your release today of yet another new album, 'Bang, Zoom, Crazy... Hello,' further illustrates your continuing popularity and success."
Cheap Trick is also scheduled to play a July 19 show at FirstMerit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island.
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